Idaho Republicans are pushing a bill that would allow teachers to cite the Bible as a reference book in science classes. The Senate Education Committee has given preliminary approval to a measure introduced by state Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll (R-Cottonwood) that would permit teachers to use the religious document “for reference purposes” in classes such as astronomy, biology and geology. A Democratic senator questioned why the bill was necessary, because teachers are already permitted to highlight biblical allusions in history and literature, but Nuxoll said a statute was needed to highlight the Bible’s importance…. “It’s to clarify and make sure teachers know their rights,” Nuxoll said. “A lot of teachers are scared to use the Bible.”…. State Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking (D-Boise) reminded Nuxoll that her measure might allow other religious texts to be used in schools, but the GOP lawmaker insisted the Bible was “embedded” in American culture.
It never ceases to amaze me; those who’d likely otherwise insist on a strict interpretation of the Constitution have no problem circumventing it in ways designed to buttress their pet agenda or religious faith. Legislators who’ve sworn to uphold and defend the Constitution suddenly seem to forget that oath when presented with an opportunity to weave their faith into the fabric of governance and education.
Evidently blissfully ignorant of the separation of Church and State, Sen. Nuxoll’s insistence that the Bible is “embedded” in American culture justifies breaching the Church/State firewall in the service of educating indoctrinating children.
As Sen. Ward-Engleking helpfully pointed out, Sen. Nuxoll’s bill could well be interpreted as allowing other religious texts into Idaho’s public school. Showing her true colors, Sen. Nuxoll demurred, claiming the Bible to be “embedded” in American culture. What she may not realize (or refuses to acknowledge) is that by using tax dollars to promote her religion to the exclusion of others, her bill stands in direction violation of the 1st Amendment’s Establishment Clause.
The bill is a transparent attempt by conservative Christian Republicans to promote Christianity in the public schools. The legislation would allow unethical teachers to indoctrinate innocent children by substituting the promotion of Christian superstition for legitimate academic study.
One need only imagine the reaction by these Republican theocrats if instead of the Bible, teachers were to use the Quran in the classroom, to realize the rank hypocrisy of the Idaho GOP for supporting this legislation.
To be sure, the legislation is in part an attempt to smuggle Creationism into the public school science classroom. Yet perhaps more sinister, the legislation is another sign of a creeping theocracy promoted by religious conservatives, a theocracy that threatens the secular values upon which this nation was founded.
Bottom line: When conservative Christians win, children always lose. Imagine the poor kid in some Idaho public school forced to listen to some pompous ass masquerading as a teacher preach Christianity instead of teaching science. It is, in a word, heartbreaking.
It’s not at all uncommon for public schools in some states to use tax dollars to teach creationism or other aspects of Christianity. There are those, some in positions of power in state legislatures, who believe public schools to be wholly-owned subsidiaries of Christian churches and that every day should be Sunday School.
Left conveniently unaddressed by theocrats who don’t believe in the separation of Church and State is the Exclusion Clause, which prevents government from favoring the interests of one religion over others. Sen. Nuxoll undoubtedly has NO intention of being down with the introduction of religious texts used by other faiths into Idaho’s public schools. Her insistence that the Bible is “embedded” in American culture is code for allowing the Bible to be preached in public school classrooms even as other holy books are excluded.
[Sen. Nuxoll] is perhaps best known for comparing the Affordable Care Act to the Holocaust in 2013.
“The insurance companies are creating their own tombs,” Nuxoll said. “Much like the Jews boarding the trains to concentration camps, private insurers are used by the feds to put the system in place because the federal government has no way to set up the exchange.”
Not only is this sort of rampant, brain-dead hyper-religiosity heartbreaking, it makes for a damned poor education when science teachers are allowed to treat the Bible as an authoritative text. Religious faith shouldn’t be synonymous with ignorance and blind obedience, yet that seems to be exactly what’s happening in so many states these days. When faith and unquestioning obedience to an unseen concept trumps the empirical and the provable, we’re in big trouble.
Richard Feynman once said that he’d rather have questions without answers than answers which can’t be questioned. I’d hazard a guess that he’s spinning in his grave right about now over the dumbing down of America.
We deserve better. Our children most certainly do.
